The balcony

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660 Australian Veterinary Journal Volume 82, No 11, November 2004

New AVA National headquartersThe best laid plans can run into

interesting challenges and the new AVANational building has not yet beencompleted. The AVA headquarters’ movenow looks like being late December orearly January and we will let everyoneknow as soon as it happens. We will needto have new phone numbers. The 1300number will remain the same, emailaddresses will not change and the postoffice box at Artarmon will be retainedfor an extended period of time until weare confident that all mail will come tothe new address.

I know that many members will havebeen through this process of building andmoving homes and/or practices, and eachtime you probably tell yourself that thiswill be the last! For AVA National, Icertainly hope it is for the foreseeablefuture!

Rules for Divisions, SpecialInterest Groups and Branches

We are now in the final stages ofconsultation on the rules for Divisions,SIGs and Branches. Thank you toeveryone who has made comments andsuggestions during this intensive 18-month process. At the October meetingof the Board each of these documents willbe considered. When the Board hassigned off on the documents, the finalversions will be provided to all Presidentsand the documents will also be availablethrough the website. Theimplementation date is likely to be 1January 2005.

StaffingAll those involved with PetPEP will be

sad to hear that Caitlyn Feldman hasaccepted an offer of a position with theCurrumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Cait hasmade a substantial contribution toPetPEP in Queensland and nationally,and will be missed. However we do havean opportunity to catch up with her onthe Friday morning of the AVAconference at the Gold Coast in May2005 when we can all have breakfast withthe birds (and hopefully Cait), atCurrumbin.

I have also received a letter from thescientific editor of the AustralianVeterinary Journal, Dr Colin Wilksindicating that he will not be seeking torenew his contract for 2005. In his letterColin reflected: “The five years that Ihave occupied this position have beenparticularly satisfying for meprofessionally and I have always regarded

it as an honour to have followed the leadof those distinguished individuals whohave edited the journal since its inceptionin 1925. Over the last couple of years Ihave had opportunity to become involvedin a limited way with other academicpursuits and I now wish to create moretime in my life to explore and pursuethese.”

Colin has done an extraordinary joband his shoes will not be easy to fill. Ihave asked that a call for expressions ofinterest be placed in this edition of theAVJ, and I have invited Colin to write aneditorial piece for the December editionof the journal.

Over the last weekend in October theBoard and the Policy Advisory Councilwill be meeting, and I look forward toupdating you on the outcomes of thosemeetings in December.

AVA CEO Margaret Conley

Comment

Front entrance looking up at the top floor office space

(Left to right) Three perspectives of AVA National’s new Sydney office.